Sign



March 5, 1935. R, wI Luce; 4 1,993,068

SIGN

Filed June 13. 1933 INVENTOR HIS ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SIGN Richard W. Luce, Westleld, N. J., assignor to Signal Service Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application June 13, 1933, Serial No. 675,562

` 1o ,claims (cl. 40.-130) My invention relates to signs in which a plurality of individual reflecting units or buttons are grouped and arranged to form an intelligible character such as a word or symbol and the inventionresides in a construction of such signs which facilitates the assembly thereof and thus minimizes the time necessary for the assembly.

Such signs commonly include a rear plate by means of which the sign is mounted and a front display plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged in accordance with the character to be displayed and through which the ends of the reflecting units extend. In addition to the front and rear plates, the signs include some constructional feature for maintaining the refleeting units properly positioned in the openings in the front display plate. The expedients heretofore -used for holding the reflecting units in place include fastening the reflecting units directly to the front display plate, and providing a reecting-unit supporting plate separate from the front plate for supporting the reflecting units. 1

In some constructions the rear plate served thev dual function of a reflecting-unit supporting plate and a rear mounting plate. 'I'he clips, springs or like elements which are generally used in main-v taining the reflecting units in place are located be!- tween the front and rear plates which are secured together to provide a closed interior and with the intent to prevent pilfering of the reflecting units. Heretofore, however, there has not been a construction for mounting the units on the front plate which eectively resists pilfering of the units; and those constructions which utilize a reflecting-unit supporting plate other than the front display plate, while more satisfactory in safeguarding the units of the sign against pilfering, have certain manufacturing disadvantages. For example, where in such constructions the reflecting-unit supporting plate, the front display plate and ,'the rear plate are fastened together and both thefront plate and the supporting plate cooperate in the aligning, positioning and securing of the re'- ilecting units, it is necessary to construct the cooperating elements with great care and accuracy. Furthermore, in assembling the sign, the several reflecting units must be brought into substantial axial parallelism before the front plate through which they extend `can be properly assembled on the sign. These diillculties in construction increase the cost of manufacturing such signs.

`By my invention, I am enabled to utilize the construction which includes an intermediate refleeting-unit supporting plate between the front and rear plates without the disadvantages in -units and the eventual position of the openings manufacture which are inherent in the constructions of that sort heretofore used. Thus there is made available safety against `pilfering of the reflecting `units without the added expense heretofore consequent upon the required accuracy of 5 construction and the diiliculty of assembly of such signs. The sign of my invention includes a loose. oriloating reflecting-unit supporting plate, unfastened during the assembly of the sign. The free floating condition of the supporting plate during the assembly of the sign dispenses with the necessity of initial accuracy of alignment between the supporting elements f or the reilecting through the front display plate, since the supporting plate is positioned in the sign by the engagement of the reflecting units in the openings in the front plate. The supporting plate in a sense is self-adjusting, in that, however located, it is adaptable for application of the front plate with the units engaging in their respective openings therein, and it is then free for adjustment wth the front plate as the latter is brought into proper relation to the rear plate.

A sign constructed in accordance with my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described'in detail below.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a sign embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation having half of the back plate removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional, side elevation taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevation showing a detail of the mounting of the reflector units; Y

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation with half of the back plateremoved and illustrating another form of sign embodying my invention; 4and 4 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line6-6 of Fig. 5. g

The sign illustrated in the drawing is a roadside warning sign indicating that there is an S curve immediatelyl ahead; it includes three symbols or characters, one, a large symbolic S at the tcp of the sign, two, the word curve substantially centrally of the sign, and three, Aan arrow bent towards vthe right, indicating that the S curve starts by the road bending tothe right. This'sign includes a back plate 1, a front plate 2 and three reilectingunit mounting plates 3, 4 and 5, one for each of -thevthree characters, between the front and rear plates. The configuration ofthe sign is rectangular and it is mounted 40 the rear plate, and eight holes are cut through with a diagonal constituting the vertical axis. The rear plate is a sheet metal stamping and is primarily drawn to form a shoulder 6 for the fastening bolts and a base 'l for the reflectingunit supporting plates. The center of the plate is further drawn to form a frusto-conical reinforcing section 8 by which the sign is mounted on a suitable post. Through the base of this frusto-conical section two bolt holes are cut, and surrounding and overlying each of these bolt holes there is a cap 9 secured to the plate hollow side down. Upon each cap there is secured a nut l by means of a strap 11, the strap holding the nut in place and preventing it from turning relative to the cap. Openings through the cap and the strap aligned with the holes through the nut andthe plate form bolt holes through which a mounting bolt may extend, the threaded end of the bolt being threaded into the nut on the cap. 'I'he caps reinforce the wall of the plate and serve to increase the surface area over which the pressure resulting from drawing up the mounting bolts is distributed. The rear plate also has a peripheral outwardly extending flange 12 which abuts against the front display plate.

'I'he front display plate is of the same area. and shape in plan as the rear plate; in fact, the front plate in effect forms a cover plate for the dishshaped rear plate. On' this cover plate the several characters displayed by the sign are embossed. Along the center line of each of these embossed characters, there is a series of openings y for the ends of the reflecting units which constitute the characters visible at night. 'Ihe relation of the openings to the characters is as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. 'I'he extreme outer portion of the cover plate abuts against the flange 12 of the rear plate. Adjacent this outer portion, there is an embossed border 13. This border is directly opposite the shoulder 6 of this border of the cover plate and eight similar holes are cut through the shoulder 6 of the rear plate. When the cover plate is properly related to the rear plate, these several holes in the front and rear plates are in alignment and bolts 14 extend through the holes and secure the front and rear plates together.

` Between the front and rear plates there are the three reflecting-unit mounting plates, one for each of the three characters displayed by the sign. 'I'he upper plate 3 which serves the letter S is roughly triangular in shape, as is the lower plate which serves the arrow. The intermediate plate 4 which serves the word curve is long and narrow. 'I'he two triangular plates have three flanges, one along each edge, and the plate 4 has its two longitudinal edges flanged. The plurality of supporting plates reduces the cost of manufacture of such signs. AIn the manufacture lof such'signs the three panels are set* up as type with spaces between them. Their positions relative to each other are not accurately maintained. that is, in one lot of signs they may have one relation to one another and in the next lot this relation may be diiferent.

Suitable means are provided for resiliently urging the buttons or units forward to compensate for any disparity in thespacing between the front and intermediate plates, such as would result from a local warping of one or both of the plates. In the illustrated construction this comprises the reflector-unit holder above referred to and which will now be described. It is not claimed herein however as part of this invention since it forms the subject matter of a copending application Serial Number 675,561. filed by me June 13, 1933.

As herein shown there is provided in each of the openings in the plates 3, 4 and 5 a reflecting-unit holder 15. This reflecting-unit holder is a sheet metal cup-shaped stamping. At the edge of the holder slits are cut in the wall thereof and extend a substantial distance from the edge and divide the upper portion of the holder into quarters. Two diametrically opposite quarters so formed are bent outwardly at the uppermost edge to form outwardly extending flanges 15a. The remaining two sections are bent outwardly at the base of the slots and then parallel to the wall of the cup so as to form offset sections 15b, each offset section having a shoulder 15e. The shoulders 15e 0f the two offset sections constitute flanges which bear upon the supporting plate. The bottom of the reflecting-unit holder is slotted to form a tongue 16. This tongue is bent upwardly in the form of an arc, and being resilient it forms a leaf spring extending upwardly from the bottom of the holder.

In each of the holders there is mounted a reflecting unit. These reflecting units consist of a glass lens 17a, a casing 17h and a reflector (not shown) within the casing and behind the lens. The reflector units are received in the refleeting-unit lholders and are slidable therein. 'Ihe casing of the reflector unit has a flange 17o which is adapted to engage the flange 15a of the reecting-unit holder to limit the extent which the reflecting unit can be forced into the holder. This iiange 17o also engages the inner surface of the cover plate 2 to prevent the reflecting unit from passing through the cover plate. The spring tongue 16 holds the flange 17e snugly against the front plate and, as above mentioned, compensates for disparities in the spacing between the plates due to warping or other cause.

In assembling the sign, the three intermediate plates with their reflecting-unit holders and reecting units mounted therein, are placed in the back plate with the edges of the flanges resting upon the base 7. These intermediate plates are loose and unsecured to the back plate. The front plate is then placed over the back plate and shifted untilthe units enter their respective openings in the cover plate. This condition is easily obtained since the three supporting plates are loose and can be shifted without attention to any securing means. The reflecting units position the supporting plates with respect to the front plate, acting as dowels.` When the reflecting-unit supporting plates have been positioned with respect to the front plate and all of the refleeting units extend through the openings in the front plate, the front plate is then shifted until itstbolt holea'coincidemith the-holes through the shoulder 6. The bolts 14 are then inserted and drawn up and the supporting plates are securely clamped between the front and rear plates. This clamping of the reflecting-unit supporting plates between the front and rear plates constitutes the means by which the reflecting-unit supporting plates are secured in the sign.

A modified form of sign construction having the advantages of the free, floating reflectingunit supporting plate of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing. In this construction, the reflecting unit supporting plate 4' has an elongated closed slot 4'a cut therethrough at each end, the slots 4'a have their major axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the supporting plate. Similar elongated closed slots la, slightly wider than the slots 4a, are cut in the rear plate 1', one for each of the slots 4'a in the supporting plate and forming therewith two pairs of cross slots. The slots l'a are cut to lie behind the slots 4a in the assembled sign and with their major axis perpendicular to a plane containing the major axis of the slots 4'a and perpendicular to the reflecting-unit supporting plate and the rear plate. A bolt extends through each pair of these slots. The bolt includes a head 18a of greater diameter than the width of the slot, and a shank consisting of a squared section 18h and a threaded section 18e.-

The squared sectionvof the shank is received in the slot 4'a and holds the bolt against turning- The shank of the bolt is of suflicient length to extend through the rear plate. Cooperating with the bolt there is an internally threaded sleeve 19 which extends through the slot l'a in the rear plate. A head 19a on the sleeve is of greater diameter than the width of the slot and in the assembled sign abuts against the outer surface of the rear plate. The end of the sleeve is recessed to receive the squared section of the shank of the bolt and when the platesare drawn tightly together and slightly compressed, the end of the sleeve abuts against the inner surface of the supporting plate and a frictional force is set up, by virtue of the clamping action on the supporting plate between the head of the bolt and the end of the sleeve, which force locks the sleeve on the bolt. The end of the bolt extends through the sleeve and interrupts the slot in the head of the sleeve so that the sleeve can only be removed by using a special tool. A section of the supporting plate surrounding the slot 4a is depressed` to provide room for the head 18a of the bolt.

In assembling the sign, the sleeves 19 are loose on the bolts and the cross slots permit free movement of thel supporting plate with respect to the rear plate. Thus, the advantages of the free, floating supporting plate are secured. When the sign has been assembled, the sleeves 19 are tightened on the bolts and the supporting plate is rmly secured to the rear plate. With the supporting plate so secured, the front plate may be removed from the sign while the sign is in a vertical position and the supporting plate will remain properly positioned with respect to the rear plate.

From the above description of the construction embodying my invention and illustrated in the drawing, it will be apparent that by the oating supporting plate construction which is disclosed therein, one or more reflecting-unit supporting plates are readily and easily assembled in the sign. There is nonecessity for accurately locating the character forming holes with respect to any common securing means, as the supporting plates are positioned in the sign by the reilecting units extending through the openings in the cover plate. It will also be apparent that this lack of necessity for a precedent fixed relationship between the character in the supporting plate, the character in the front plate and the securing means, reduces the cost of manufacturing such signs, and also that the ease of assembly s aves both time and labor.

It is obvious that changes may be made by those skilled in the art in the details .of the mounting illustrated in the drawing and above described within the principle a'nd scope of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A light-reflectingsign made up of a plurality of individual reecting units grouped and arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a vfront plate having a series of openings `therethrough arranged to form the character to be displayed by the sign, means' for-securing the front and rear plates together, a reector-unit supporting plate between the front and rear plates of substantially smaller dimensions than lthe front or rear plates and tree of the means securing the front and rear plates together to permit movement of the supporting plate parallel and relative to the front plate, the reflecting-unit supporting plate hav-Y ing a series of openings therethrough arranged in accordance with the character to be displayed and interrelated in accordance with the openings through the front plate, and a reecting unit vmounted in each opening in the supporting plate.

the ends of the several units extending through the openings in the front plate and positioning the supporting plate with respect thereto.

2. A light-reflecting sign'made up of a plurality of individual reflecting units grouped and arranged to form an intelligible character'which sign comprises a rear plate, a front plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged to form the character to be displayed by` the sign, the plates being shaped to form a compartment therebetween, means for securing the front and rear plates together, a reector-unit supporting plate between the front and rear plates of substantially smaller dimensions than the yfront 4or rear plates and -free of the means securing the front and rear plates together to permit movement of the supporting plate parallel and relative to the front plate, the reecting-unit supporting plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged in accordancewith the character to be displayed and interrelated in accordance with the openings through the front plate, and a reilecting unit mounted in each opening in the supporting plate, the', ends of the several units extending through the openings in the front plate and positioning the supporting plate with respect thereto. Y

3. A light-reflecting sign made up of a. plurality of individual reflecting units grouped and ar-l ranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a front plate having a series o f openings therethrough arranged to form the character to be displayed by the sign, the

plates being shaped to form a compartment therebetween, means for securing the front and rear plates together, a reflector-unit supporting plate between the front 'and rear plates of substantially smaller dimensions than the front or rear` plates and free ofthe means securing the front and rear plates together to permit movement of the supporting plate parallel and relative to the front plate, the reecting-unit supporting plate having a series of openings therethroughv arranged in accordance with the character to be displayed and interrelated in accordance with the openings through the front plate, spacing means engaging `the supporting and rear plates land separating the supporting plate from the rear plate, and a reilecting unit mounted in each opening in the supporting plate, the ends ofthe several units extending through the openings in the' front plate and positioning the supporting plate with respect thereto.

4. A light-reflecting sign made/upof a plurality of individual reilecting units grouped a'nd arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a front plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged to i'orm the character to be displayed by the sign, the plates being shaped to form a compartment therebetween, means for securing the front and rear plates together, a reilector-unit supporting plate between the front and rear plates of substantially smaller dimensions than the front or rear plates and free of the means securing the front and rear plates together to permit movement of the supporting plate parallel and relative to the front plate, the reilecting-unit supporting plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged in accordance with the character to bev displayed and interrelated in accordance with the openings through the front plate, lateral ilanges on the supporting. plate and engaging the rear plate and separating the supporting plate from the rear plate, and a reflecting unit mounted in each opening in the supporting plate, the ends of the several units extending through the openings in the front plate and positioning the supporting plate with respect thereto.

5. A light-reflecting sign made up of a plurality of individual reilecting units grouped in several rows and the units in each row, arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a front plate having a series of openings therethrough grouped in several rows and the openings in each row arranged in accordance with the desired sign display, means for securing the front and rear plates together, a separate reflecting-unit supporting plate for each row of openings in the front plate between the front and rear plates, the sum of the dimensions of the several plates being substantially smaller than the dimensions of the front or rear plates and each plate being free ot the means for securing the front and rear plates to permit movement thereof paralleland relative to the front plate and each reflecting-unit supporting plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged and interrelated in accordance with a row of openings in the front plate and being disposed behind the corresponding row of openings in the 4iront plate, and a reflecting unit mounted in each opening in each supporting plate, the ends of the several units extending through the openings in the front plate and positioning the supporting plates with respect to the front plate.

6. A light-renecting sign made up of a plurality of individual reflecting units grouped and arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a front plate having a series ot openings therethrough arranged to form the character to be displayed by the sign, a reecting-unit supporting plate ot substantially smaller dimensions than the front or rear plates l-to permit'movement of thefsupporting plate'parallel and relative to the front plate and having a series oi openings therethrough to receive the reilectlng units. the openings being arranged in accordance with the desired character and interrelated in accordance with the openings in the i'ront plate, a reecting unit in each opening in the supporting plate and extending through the corresponding opening in the front plate, and means located beyond the edges or the supportlng plate for-securing the front and rear plates We 7. A light-renecting Si!!! made up of a plurality oi individual retlecting units grouped in several rows and the units in each row arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a front plate having a series of openings therethrough grouped in several rows and the openings in each row arranged in accordance with the desired sign display, a separate reilecting-unit supporting plate for each row oi openings in the front plate between the front and rear plates, the sum of the dimensions of the several plates being substantially smaller than the dimensions of the front or rear plates, each reflecting-unit supporting plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged and interrelated in accordance with a row of openings in the front plate and being disposed behind the corresponding row of openings in the front plate, a reilecting-unit mounted in each opening in each supporting plate, the ends of the several units extending through the openings in the front plate and positioning the supporting plates with respect thereto, and means located beyond the edges of the supporting plate for securing the front and rear plates together.

8. A light-reilecting sign made up of a plurality of individual reilecting units grouped and arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a front plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged to form the character to be displayed by the sign, a reflecting-unit supporting plate of substantially smaller dimensions than the front or rear plates to permit movement of the supporting plate parallel and relative to the front plate and having a series of openings therethroughqso receive the reflecting units, the openings being arranged in accordance with the desired character and interrelated in accordance with the openings in the front plate, a reflecting unit in each openingl in the supporting plate and extending through the corresponding opening in the front plate, means located beyond the edges of the supporting v*plate for securing the front and rear plates together, and additional means for securing the supporting. plate to the rear plate Aafter the sign is assembled.

9. A light-retlecting sign made up of a plurality of individual reilecting units grouped and arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a iront plate having a series oi openings therethrough arranged to form the character to be displayed by the sign, a reilecting-unit supporting plate of substantially smaller dimensions vthan the i'ront or rear plates to permit movement ofthe supporting plate parallel and relative to the front plate and having a series ot openings therethrough to receive the reilecting units and a pair of slots at right angles to each other, the reflecting-unit openings being arranged in accordance with the desired character and interrelated in accordance with the opening in .the iront plate, av reecting unit in each opening in the suDDOrting plate and extending through the corresponding opening in the front plate, means located beyond the edges o! the supporting plate for securing the front and rear plates together. and a bolt extending through each slot.in the supporting plate and through corresponding openings in the rear plate for securing the supporting plate to the rear plate after the sign is assembled.

i0. A' light-renecting sian made up of a plurality of individual reilecting units grouped and 'arranged to form an intelligible character which sign comprises a rear plate, a iront-plate having a series of openings therethrough arranged to Aform the character to be displayed by the sign,

means for securing the front and rear plates together, a reflector-unit supporting plate between the front and rear plates of substantially smaller ydimensions than the front or rear plates and free of the means securing the front and rear plates together to permit movement of the supporting plate parallel and relative to the front 5 plate, and a plurality of reflecting units arranged in accordance with the openings through the front plate xed to and supported by the supporting plate, the ends of the several units extending through the openings yin the front plate and positioning the supporting plate with respect thereto.

RICHARD W. LUCE. 

